Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Friday informed that the Central government has sanctioned funds for setting up of 266 new anganwadi centres and upgradation of over 1266 mini-anganwadi centres in the state.
Speaking to media persons, Lyngdoh said that this is a major achievement for the Government of Meghalaya.
“We are thankful to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development and Minister in-charge Smriti Irani, who was very kind, very supportive and today the state has benefited because as you will recall we had about 1500 uncovered villages so that number will now stand reduced with the sanction of 266 new centres and the upgradation of 1266 such centres,” Lyngdoh said.
He said 1266 mini-anganwadi centres will now be upgraded to main anganwadi centres. The upgradation would include the increase of workers and helpers in each of these centers. Instead of one, each centres will now have two workers and helpers.
Lyngdoh informed that the upgradation will also involved the enhancement of the honorarium of the anganwadi workers from Rs 3500 to Rs 4500 per month (an additional financial implication of Rs 1,000 per month per anganwadi worker) and the appointment of 51 ladysupervisors in the 1266 anganwadi centres.
He added that it also include the appointment of two anganwadi helpers at Rs 2500 per month, free supply of uniforms which is two sets per year at the cost of Rs 1000 per annum per year besides medicine kits from Rs 750 to Rs 1500.
“The total fund requirement comes to Rs 826.38 lakh of which 743.74 lakh is the central share and Rs 82.46 lakh state share,” the minister said.
“Some of the conditions put forward will be met by the state government and it is a major development because these centres have all along when they were mini centres they had just one worker and now this number has been doubled apart from the appointment of supervisors and helpers,” he added.
Lyngdoh also informed that another major development is the sanctioning of 266 new anganwadi centres.
“These centres will involve the appointment of honorary workers which would be 266 anganwadi workers and 266 helpers. Supplementary nutrition will be provided to beneficiaries for 300 days in a year as per guidelines issued by the Government of India from time to time,” he said. He said that “the state shall take immediate actions for recruitment and training of functionaries, procurement of goods and equipments as per rules and instructions so as to ensure that all sanction centres become operational at the earliest.”
“The expenditure on this account will be met from the grant-in-aid release from the government of India under anganwadi centre services component and supplementary nutritions under anganwadi services. The action taken by the state government in pursuant to this sanction should be intimated to the Government of India every two months beginning from October 1, 2023,” he added .